The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 71: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

52 THE COURT OF LONDON of the troops had thrown many desperate characters idle upon the world, that there were certainly cases of travellers being stopped, — he was not even sure but that the outrages sometime occurred in the broad daylight, — and that, at all events, it was much safer and more prudent for ladies to journey with a male protector. These remarks, cunningly dropped, and instilling fear rather by innuendo than positive averments, produced the desired effect upon the ladies. Mrs. Ranger declared that she would much prefer the diligence to a post-chaise; Agatha would not hear of the stage-coach, but regretted that ‘‘ mamma ” had not provided them with a male attend- ant; Emma sided with Mrs. Ranger relative to the pro- priety of travelling by the diligence; and Julia at once expressed a wish that they were acquainted with some gentleman who could accompany them. It was now that the waiter, as if struck by a sudden recollection, ‘ took the liberty of observing that there was an English gentleman at that moment in the hotel, who was most anxious to travel post to Paris, but who could not obtain a conveyance; ”’ and then, as if quite in a style of indifferent comment, the astute garcon continued to remark that ‘‘ the young gentle- man was certainly the handsomest, most agreeable, and most fascinating specimen of English travellers that had visited the hotel since the peace.’’ All this was quite enough to enlist the interest of the ladies on behalf of one who was so much pressed for the means of rapid conveyance to Paris; and, moreover, they -wanted a travelling-companion. Julia thought there could be no harm in offering their fellow countryman a seat in their chaise; Emma expressed her opinion that it would be rude not to do so; and Agatha still more emphatically insisted upon the propriety of asking him to join their party. Mrs. Ranger, said, in a bland tone, that she saw no objection, provided he was a real gentleman; and the waiter’s guarantee being taken in this respect, the said waiter was duly and formally charged to conduct the negotiation. Accordingly, this important plenipotentiary, doubtless fancying himself no mean imitation of the astute diplomatist Talleyrand, returned to Jocelyn’s sitting-room; and the moment he made his appearance, his looks proclaimed the COUN (-) LOOK KS (E()